The Goal isn't the most important thing, It's the Road to the goal... by Mikael

Starting off the album with a mellow acoustic based song called Something In My Eye, which scarily at first sounds like it could in any minute burst into Oasis' Sunday Morning Call, and you get transfered into the world that is Ed Harcourt's. Surely mellow based, which could resemble Coldplay, Travis and so on, but this is something else. This is uplifting, this is melody, these are instruments you had forgotten could create beautiful worlds. This is heaven. Youīll see.

After this amazing tune..a slow distorted sound is creeping out of the speakers. And suddenly you hear drums, big drums, making its way through. Breaking loose as some kind of Mongolian Army attacking the Chinese Wall. And in the background you hear a perfect piano riff playing throughout. Making the whole song a sort of the happy Twin Peaks twin. Beautiful but with scary elements though. This is probably as close as Ed will ever get in sounding as Nick Cave you will think, when all of a sudden he takes it one step further, screaming through a vocoder "I need to build a wall around me!" And trumpets kicks in along with the change of tone of voice. Amazing. No, amazingly amazing. And when you think he canīt possibly take it any higher...

The song She Fell Into My Arms starts..with such a cheery piano line that just makes you smile within a second. And Ed's voice comes in and smooths it over nicely. This is Ed doing the Beach Boys. But still, itīs not a rip off...itīs a song thatīs paying the tribute to Brian and makes him even stand in the shadow. Cos what Ed is doing here...Brian never were able to do. And with lines such as: "Thereīs a thousand things I shouldnīt do. But if I do them I should do them with you. So wonīt you fall into my arms again." You can only surrender.

Now..three songs in..youīre starting to think that this canīt be possible..and you suddenly hear the intro to the fourth song...such a beautiful piano line...once again. And Ed's voice soothing you through the speakers.... And you give up. This is Heaven. Honestly.

So sit back now..as if you wouldnīt have already been doing that after this four piece introduction. And you get Hanging With The Wrong Crowd..so incredibly british, without even sounding british. Itīs like you would live in the country side at a farm..being in a near forest playing around. Jumping over little rivers and over stones. But then you listen to the lyrics and itīs not exactly what itīs about, is it? But itīs such a song that you can make up in whatever way that pleases you. Itīs a ride and itīs a fantastic ride. And you are driving.

Then...when you are already in heaven, why not take the love of your life with you. And so Ed does. With some sort of white gospel anthem called Apple Of My Eye. Along with hand claps and everything. And of course, what would the song be without trumpets and piano. Pure joy.

Then...the Devil is entering. But you donīt think so at first..even though it has some sort of distant hunting feeling..it sounds really beautiful. With a trumpet intro that sort of lifts you up from your chair or bed or wherever you will be. No, correct that, wherever your body will be. Cos your soul is not on this earth. At least mine never is when I hear this record. But letīs get back to the Devil song then... After 3 minutes of beautiful feelings it kicks in. You get so shocked the first time you hear it that you horribly think Limp Bizkit has taken over Heaven and you almost piss yourself. But itīs not that bad..cos you hear behind the noice that in there somewhere, there is Ed..struggeling to break free again. From all the noice..you can almost see him with open mouth screaming and turning his head. Like a drugged on Thom Yorke. And finally...the noice ends abruptly...and you get images in your head of silent deserted landscapes. The storm is over. The world and Ed, has survived. Letīs build Heaven again. But it will not be that easy.

And Wind Through the Trees comes in..and we have the piano line again. But also..a distant piano..just a twinkle sounding one. Like rain drops after a heavy storm falling down from the leaves of the broken rain drenched trees. And now you have strings coming in. Cos now itīs time to fight back. Itīs time to build. But the twinkle sounds comes in again. Cos the world is a fragile place. But the strings builds themselves stronger. They will make it. We will make it. We will make it with Ed.

And we have come to life again now. But something's rather strange in Ed's and ours world. Cos Birds Fly Backwards...God made something wrong this time I suppose. But who cares..cos "Weīre hitting the road that leads us back again. To the same old world we left." Maybe itīs not meant to be nice to know that..but it sure sounds like it.. The world is such a nice place to be in.

So youīre thinking weīre back in our world. Well, letīs make a trip. To Shanghai. This is a pop/rock potpurri you surely didnīt expect on this record. Some might say itīs a bit..too much. Just like Ed would throw it in so that he can show us that he can rock as well. But itīs not the purpose, Ed puts it here, cos he wants to show the world is a great place. Why be sad in a place you donīt like. Why not get the hell out of there then?

And Iīm taking my Love with me again. So letīs calm down once again...letīs sit back in our new place.. cos thatīs what itīs all about. Love. And peace. But with an edge. "Slide beneath the covers..And I will say your name...Drown in eachother like only lovers can".

Yes Ed. You are right. This is Heaven.

Total Rate: 8.5 on 10 Highligts: hard to say... but we'd go with God Protect Your Soul and Wind Throught the Trees.

he dedicates the album to a certain C.S.: she must be such a blessed woman to inspire him such wonderful songs :)